Fountain pen



Oct. l, 1935. A. o. DAHLBERG I FOUNTAIN PEN I Filed July 14,'1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ma. i

. In the manufacture of fountain pens, one of 'replace the nib and feed par exactly in their initial relative positions, with the result that the writ- Patented oef. 1, 193s inklliNi'r orifice 2,016,106 FoUN'rAm PEN Arthur 0. Dahlberg, Madison, Wis. Application 14, 1932, Serial No. 622,409 8 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-52) My inventionv relates generally to fountain pens and more particularly to improvements in the means for securing the feed bar and nib to the y pen section or barrel of the fountain pen.

the operations requiring the greatest amount of skill, and hence one which adds considerably to the cost, is the setting of the feed bar and m'b in the pen barrel.

In most fountain pens as at present constructed it is necessary to position the nib over the feed bar duet with a high degree of accuracy, since minor variations in the relative positions of these partsigreatly affect the Writing qualities of the pen. Furthermore, when the pen is disassembled for repair or cleaning, the repairman may not ing qualities of the pen are impaired.

If themser of a fountain pen permits the feed `bar to become badly clogged by the use of d ifferent kinds of ink, or inferior inks, he ordinarily finds it necessary to take the pen to a repair shop to have it cleaned,` since the ordinary layman cannot remove the feed bar and nib and replace the same properly.

In the fountain pen construction of my invention, the feed bar and nibimay be removed for cleaning and replaced very readily by the ordinary the' dealer may readily assemble the selected nib in any barrel which may be chosen.

I obtain al1 of these advantages by very slight changes in the constructionof the nib, feed bar and section, thechanges` being so slight that the external appearance of thepen will appear to the casual observer to be of theusual standard construction.

In addition to the objects of my invention abovel set forth, it is an object of my invention to provide a fountain pen which is of simple construction, may be economically manufactured, and

which will maintain its writing qualitieseven.

after it has been led and reassembled by the user. Y

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a fountain pen in which the improved feed bar and nibassembly of my invention is incorporated; 5

Figure 2 is an elevation of the nib and feed ybar Figure -3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 3- -3 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of- Figure 2; 10

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the nib; Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of Vmy invention; i

Figure 7 is an elevation ofthe nib and feed bar;

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are transverse sectional views 15 taken on the lines 8-8, 9-9 and IIJ-l0, respecf tively, of` Figure 6.

My invention may be utilized in any type of fountain pen, and for purposes of illustrationis shown as incorporated in a sac type pen having 20 a barrel 20, section 22 and vsac 24 assembled Vin the usual manner. The section comprises a tubular end portion 26, to which the sac may be cemented, and a bore 28 to receive a feed bar 30.

The lower end of the bore 28 is conically flared at.32, the degree of this nare being slightly exag' gerated in the drawings. The feed bar 30 has a cylindrical portion 34 which fits loosely in the bore 28, and a frusto-conical portion 36. Part of the frusto-conical portion and a part of the 30, cylindrical portion are recessed to receive the nib 38. The feed bar is shaped so that when the nib is tightly pressed into the recess formed thereinthe outer surface `of the cylindrical portion and the tapered portion 42 of the nib will be ush with the corresponding surfaces 34 and 36 of the feed bar.

The feed bar has a pair of segmental slots 4d formed in the cylindrical portion 34,*which are adapted to receive ears 46 bent inwardly at the upper 'extremity of the nib. T he feed bar has a transverse slot v41 formed therein adjacent the l frusto-concal'portion 36, this slot being provided for engagement by the blade of a pocket knife, a A screw driver, coil, or similar instrumentality, for withdrawing' the feed bar and nib from the section. The feed bar is provided with the usual ink feed ducts 48 and air channel 50. f

The nib, when not pressed into the recess in the feed bar, assumes the shape indicated i'n-dotted 50 Vlines in Fig. 3, so that when it isproperly assem- L bled in the nib it assumes the shape shown in full' It will b e readily apparent that the fountain pen may be easily assembled by placing the nib in position on the feed bar, inserting these two parts in the section, and pressing them snugly in place. The angular position of the feed bar relative to the section is immaterial, since the surface 32 of `the section and the cooperating contacting surin Figures 6 to 10 as incorporated in a fountain pen of conventional construction, as previously described. The pen section has a bore 62 of diameter slightly greater than that of the cylindrical portion 64 of a feed bar 66, and an enlarged counter-bore 68.

An obturating sleeve 10 having a plurality of inwardly projecting annular flanges 12 ts snugly in the counter-bore 68 and may, if desired, be secured therein by a suitable adhesive cement. The obturating sleeve is preferably .made of a relatively soft rubber, so that the flanges 12 will resiliently engage and seal against the feed bar 66 and nib 14 with which they are in contact. For this purpose, the openings in theannular anges 12 are of slightly less diameter than the feed bar. Under ordinary circumstances, a single flange will be effectivey to prevent leakage of ink, but the greater number are preferably provided positively to insure against such leakage.

'Ihe lower end of the counter-bore 68 receives a flanged retainerv ring 16 which preferably fits snugly therein, and is .cemented to preclude acci- -dental removal therefrom. The ring 16 has an exactly centered outwardly flaring opening 18 therein. The angle ofthe taper or flare of the wall of the opening 18 is relatively small, so that, as will hereinafter appear, the feed bar and nib may be tightly wedged therein.

The feed bar 66 is provided with a pair of recesses 80, segmental incross-sec'tion, which are' adapted to receive lugs or clips 82 bent rearwardly from the nib 14. The feed bar has a tapered protrusion 84, the surface of which Ais substantially complemental tov that of the opening 18 in the ring 16. A notch 86 is formed adjacent the protrusion 84 for the reception ofthe end of a screw driver, knife blade, coin or other instrumentality, when it is desired to remove the feed bar. The feed bar is provided with the usual capillary ink .ducts 88 and air duct 98. i

In assembling the modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, the nib is placed over the feed bar so that the lugs 82 t section. The inner end of the feed bar fits relatively loosely in the bore 62. It is unnecessary to insert the pen and nib in any definite angular position relative to the section, since the opening 18 in the retainer ring 16 has a frusto-conical surface and the projection 84 will therefore contact with this surface equally well4 in any angular position.

The degreeof taper of the projection 84 and of the opening 1s is substantially the' same. a1- though in the preferred construction the angle of the tapered opening 18 is preferably slightly less y than the angle of the conical surface of the projection 84. For example, the surface of the open- 5 ing 18 may have an angle of four degrees relative to its axis, while the surface of the projection 84 has an angle of five degrees relative thereto. By making the angle slightly different in this manner, the clamping pressure exertedwhen the feed bar and nib are forced into the section is concentrated along a line adjacent the lower (Fig. 6) edge of the projection 84 and between the nib and the upper inner edge of the retaining ring 16. In this manner, the feed 'bar and nib are very firmly held in the section. At the same time, however, the nib and feed bar may be freely removed when the .feed bar has been pulled only a very shortdistance fromthe position in which it is normally held. This construction is also preferably utilized in the preferred embodiment of -my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, as partially illustrated in an exaggerated manner in Fig. 3. In the latter construction, however, the line of contact is substantially at the lower edge of the section. 25

In both embodiments, the upper end of the feed bar fits relatively freely in its complementary bore andthe nib and feed bar are held in position substantially solely by the tight fit between the cooperating frusto-conical surfaces on the feed 30 bar and on the retainer ring or section.

The sealing member or obturator 10, if made of a good quality rubber, will retain its elasticity for a long period of time and will'throughout its life form an ink-tight seal about the feed bar and nib. 35

While I have shown and described particular embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications in design and construction may be made without departing from the 4spirit of my invention. 40

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is:

1. In a fountain pen, the combination of a. barrel having a part with a feed bar receiving bore therein, a feed bar, a nib, cooperating means 45 on said feed bar and nib for detachably securing said nib to .said feed bar in a predetermined position relative thereto, and interengaging tapered wedging means on said part, on said nib,l and on said feed bar for detachably securing said feed 50 bar 'and nib in said part in any angular position.

2. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel having a part with a feed bar receiving opening therein, a feed bar having a pair of open segmental grooves formed therein, a unitary nib 55 having a pair'of projecting lugs shaped to fit snugly in said grooves thereby to facilitate at'- tachment of said nib to said feed bar in a predetermined position and to permit easy detachment .ofsaid nib from said feed bar by relative 60 latral movement, and interengaglng wedging means on said feed bar and said part whereby said nib and feed bar may be detachably secured in said part and said nib held against lateral,

Kmovement relative to said feed bar and snugly a5 against the surface thereof.

3. In a fountain pen, the combination of a -barrel having a part provided with a feed bar receiving opening, a. feed bar, a nib, interengaging means on said feed b ar and nib for facil- 70 tating accurately detachably positioning one relative to the other, and cooperating wedging surfaces formed on said feed bar, on said nib, and on said part detachably to hold said feed bar, nib

and part in assembled relation. 15

4. In a, fountain pen, the combination of a barrel having a part provided witha feed bar receiving opening,a feed bar, a nib readilyvdetachable, interengaging means on said feed bar and nib for facilitating accurately positioning one relative to the other, cooperating wedging -surfaces formed on said feed bar and said part detachably to hold said feed bar, nib and part in assembled relation, anda exible obturator having'a plurality of sealing rings positioned between said feed bar and said part and forming an inktight seal therebetween. e

5,'In agfountain pen, the combination of a barrel with a-feed bar receiving part, a rigid feed bar having anintermediate portion thereof tapered, a nib conformed to t closely against the surfaceof said feed bar in a predetermined position relative thereto when iirmly pressed thereagainst, said nib and feed bar being adapted to be detachably secured in said Vpart by wedging contact of the tapered portions of said feed bar andof said nib in said part.

6. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel having a feed bar receiving part, a rigid feed bar havinga truste-conical surface, and a. nib having afrusto-conical portion, the angle of the -taper of said portion being slightly greater than that of said lsurface whereby said nib will be slightly deformed when said nib and feed bar are forced into said part.

7. As an article of manufacture, a fountain pen nib having a writing point, a shank portion 5 substantially semi-circular in cross-section, and a frusto-conically surfaced portion intermediate the shank and point, said latter portion flaring outwardly toward the point of the nib.

8. In a fountain pen, the combination of a bar- 10 rel having a part with a feedl bar receiving bore therein, a nib having a point portion and a tapered portion, va feed bar having ink ducts therein and provided witha tapered surface, the degree of taper of lsaid surface being less than the degree 15 of taper of the tapered portion of said nib, cooperating means on said nib and 'on said feed bar to predetermine the relativel positions thereof, said feed bar and nib beinginsertable in the bore of said barrel` part with theirtapering portions 20 in engagement with said barrel part at the outer end of the bore therein, thereby to hold said nib assembly on said feed bar and wedgingly to hold the assembly of said feed bar and `nib tightly within said barrel part. z5

ARTHUR o. DHLBERG. 

